Daytona saw a lot of things: a pretty good race, the end of the regular season, and lots of hard hits including Ryan Preece having one of the worst looking incidents in the Next Gen car. This week we begin the Cup Series Playoffs by going to a track that’s equally as hard, but for different reasons, Darlington. I have picked 8 notable drivers to look at, 1 based on the 2023 point standings, 2 based on 2023 stats, 2 based on Intermediate stats, 1 based on the last Darlington race and 1 based on their overall Darlington stats. Here is a look at those 8 notable drivers 2023 season statistics, along with ranks among drivers in 2023 and ranking through 26 races since the Chase started in 2004. We will also highlight notable streaks accomplished through the year, 2023 Intermediate (1.3-1.5 mile) statistics and Darlington statistics.
P = Playoff Driver
OP = Owner Playoff Driver
1st in Points – William Byron (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.85 | 4th of 35 | T101st of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.24% | 24th of 35 | T325th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 72.57% | 3rd of 35 | 115th of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 97.96 | 2nd of 35 | 86th of 771‡ |
| Wins | 5 | 1st of 62 | T9th of 1344 |
| Poles | 3 | 2nd of 62 | T25th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 6 | 1st of 62 | T29th of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 7 | T2nd of 62 | T47th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 9 | T2nd of 62 | T72nd of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 13 | T3rd of 62 | T124th of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T17th of 35 | T352nd of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 8 | 1st of 62 | T6th of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 32 | T3rd of 62 | T26th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 231 | 1st of 62 | T13th of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 33 | 1st of 62 | 7th of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Wins (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, tied longest active streak in Cup Series)
- 6 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 2.6(1st), 90.67% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 122.58(1st), Best 1st, Worst 6th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 18.85% of laps he ran, 2 Wins, 1 Pole, 4 Top 3’s, 4 Top 5’s, 5 Top 10’s, 5 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 3 Stage Wins, 6.45 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 1st, Started 4th, Led 7 laps (2.37%), Finished 2nd in Stage 1 and 4th in Stage 2, ran 292 Laps in Top15 (98.98% of laps he ran), had 126.2 Driver Rating (ranked 1st)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 10 Races
- 16.8 Avg. Finish (Ranks 17th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 35th
- Completed 93.1% of laps (% ranks 33rd)
- 82.07% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 4th)
- 92.72 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 8th)
- Led 2.8% of laps he’s run (% ranks 13th)
- 1 Win, 10.0% (% ranks 4th)
- 1 Pole, 10.0% (% ranks 2nd)
- 3 Top 5’s, 30.0% (% ranks 9th)
- 4 Top 10’s, 40.0% (% ranks T12th)
- 6 Top 15’s, 60.0% (% ranks 15th)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 40.0% (% ranks T23rd)
- 2 DNF’s, 20.0% (% ranks T34th)
- 2 Stage Wins, 10.0% (% ranks 4th)
- 12 Stage T10’s, 60.0% (% ranks 7th)
- 3.7 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 5th)
Main Points & Outlook
– William Byron is notable because of how he’s done on Intermediate tracks this year
– Byron was in the minority at Daytona as he missed the big wreck in the middle of the race and ended up bringing his car home 8th
– He is now on a 2 race Top 10 streak
– 13 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 4th or better including his 12.85 Avg. Finish, 97.96 Avg. Driver Rating, 5 Wins, 13 Top 10’s, and 8 Stage Wins
– His 5 Wins, 8 Stage Wins, 231 Stage Pts, and 33 Playoff Pts earned in races are all T13th or better thru 26 races since 2004 (2017 for the stage stats)
– In the 5 Intermediate races this year he has 2 Wins, 4 Top 3’s, and a worst finish of 6th
– He has the best Avg. Finish (2.6) and best Avg. Driver Rating (122.58) of any driver this year in the Intermediate races
– In the 5 races he’s ran 91% of his laps in the Top 15, led 19% of his laps, and has gotten 6.45 Stage Pts Per Stage
– In the Spring race at Darlington Byron led 7 laps, ran all but 3 laps in the Top 15, had the best Driver Rating (126.2), and won the race
– In his 10 Darlington starts he has a 16.8 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 4 Top 10’s, and more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than finishes in the Top 5 (3)
– The 10 races have produced a 92.72 Avg. Driver Rating for him and in the races he’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15 while picking up 3.7 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Heading into the playoffs Byron has some of the best 2023 stats of any Cup driver this year. What’s even better is that the playoffs start on an Intermediate track where he’s been stellar, and the track is Darlington where he won earlier this year. However, as a whole Darlington hasn’t been great to him, but I still see this weekend going well as he finishes between 3rd and 9th.
– William Byron is notable because of how he’s done on Intermediate tracks this year
– Byron was in the minority at Daytona as he missed the big wreck in the middle of the race and ended up bringing his car home 8th
– He is now on a 2 race Top 10 streak
– 13 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 4th or better including his 12.85 Avg. Finish, 97.96 Avg. Driver Rating, 5 Wins, 13 Top 10’s, and 8 Stage Wins
– His 5 Wins, 8 Stage Wins, 231 Stage Pts, and 33 Playoff Pts earned in races are all T13th or better thru 26 races since 2004 (2017 for the stage stats)
– In the 5 Intermediate races this year he has 2 Wins, 4 Top 3’s, and a worst finish of 6th
– He has the best Avg. Finish (2.6) and best Avg. Driver Rating (122.58) of any driver this year in the Intermediate races
– In the 5 races he’s ran 91% of his laps in the Top 15, led 19% of his laps, and has gotten 6.45 Stage Pts Per Stage
– In the Spring race at Darlington Byron led 7 laps, ran all but 3 laps in the Top 15, had the best Driver Rating (126.2), and won the race
– In his 10 Darlington starts he has a 16.8 Avg. Finish with 1 Win, 4 Top 10’s, and more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than finishes in the Top 5 (3)
– The 10 races have produced a 92.72 Avg. Driver Rating for him and in the races he’s ran 82% of his laps in the Top 15 while picking up 3.7 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Heading into the playoffs Byron has some of the best 2023 stats of any Cup driver this year. What’s even better is that the playoffs start on an Intermediate track where he’s been stellar, and the track is Darlington where he won earlier this year. However, as a whole Darlington hasn’t been great to him, but I still see this weekend going well as he finishes between 3rd and 9th.
2nd in Points – Martin Truex Jr. (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 11.38 | 1st of 35 | T42nd of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.73% | 1st of 35 | 15th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 77.11% | 2nd of 35 | 70th of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 99.5 | 1st of 35 | 61st of 771‡ |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd of 62 | T43rd of 1344 |
| Poles | 1 | T6th of 62 | T100th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T2nd of 62 | T52nd of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 8 | 1st of 62 | T27th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 9 | T2nd of 62 | T72nd of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 15 | 1st of 62 | T58th of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T2nd of 35 | T64th of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 6 | 2nd of 62 | T12th of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 34 | 1st of 62 | T18th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 203 | 3rd of 62 | T23rd of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 21 | 2nd of 62 | T14th of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 5 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 6 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 10.2(4th), 97.76% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 114.68(2nd), Best 2nd, Worst 31st, Laps Completed 99.02%, Led 18.25% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 4 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 1 Stage Win, 5.64 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 31st (crash), Started 1st, Led 145 laps (49.15%), Finished 1st in Stage 1 and 10th in Stage 2, ran 280 Laps in Top15 (100% of laps he ran), had 113.2 Driver Rating (ranked 2nd)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 22 Races
- 13.23 Avg. Finish (Ranks 7th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 31st
- Completed 98.93% of laps (% ranks 15th)
- 76.98% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 8th)
- 103.78 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 3rd)
- Led 12.11% of laps he’s run (% ranks 2nd)
- 2 Wins, 9.09% (% ranks 6th)
- 4 Top 5’s, 18.18% (% ranks 14th)
- 10 Top 10’s, 45.45% (% ranks 11th)
- 16 Top 15’s, 72.73% (% ranks 5th)
- 5 finishes outside Top 20, 22.73% (% ranks 12th)
- 3 DNF’s, 13.64% (% ranks 29th)
- 7 Stage Wins, 31.82% (% ranks 1st)
- 18 Stage T10’s, 81.82% (% ranks T1st)
- 6.41 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 1st)
Main Points & Outlook
– Martin Truex Jr. is notable because of his 2023 regular season stats
– At Daytona Truex ran 69% of his laps in the Top 15 but faltered late ending up 24th at the finish
– This finish broke his 6 race Top 10 streak
– 13 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 1st or 2nd including his series leading 11.38 Avg. Finish, 99.5 Avg. Driver Rating, 8 Top 3’s, 15 Top 10’s, and 34 Stage T10’s
– His 99.73 Completed Laps% is 15th best thru 26 races since 2004
– At the 5 Intermediate races this year he’s ran 98% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating (114.68), and the 4th best Avg. Finish (10.2)
– In the 5 races he’s led 18% of his laps, has gotten 5.64 Stage Pts Per Stage, and 2 Top 3’s; but also 0 Wins
– In the Spring race at Darlington Truex dominated leading 49% of the laps and running every lap of his in the Top 15, but a late wreck caused him to finish 31st
– In his 22 races at Darlington he’s picked up 2 Wins and 10 Top 10’s, but also has more finishes out of the Top 20 (5) than finishes in the Top 5 (4)
– He has a 13.23 Avg. Finish in the 22 races, has ran 77% of his laps in the Top 15, and has a 103.78 Avg. Driver Rating
– His stage stats at Darlington (31.82 Stage Win%, 81.82 Stage T10%, 6.41 Stage Pts Per Stage) all rank 1st in the Darlington ranks above
Outlook for this weekend
Truex has come on strong in the later half of the year en route to being the Regular Season Champion. His stats show why, and besides his one blemish at Darlington this year his Intermediate stats show why as well. Even his career stats at Darlington are pretty good, and based on all these good stats above I see Truex coming home with a solid 1st-7th place finish this weekend.
– Martin Truex Jr. is notable because of his 2023 regular season stats
– At Daytona Truex ran 69% of his laps in the Top 15 but faltered late ending up 24th at the finish
– This finish broke his 6 race Top 10 streak
– 13 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 1st or 2nd including his series leading 11.38 Avg. Finish, 99.5 Avg. Driver Rating, 8 Top 3’s, 15 Top 10’s, and 34 Stage T10’s
– His 99.73 Completed Laps% is 15th best thru 26 races since 2004
– At the 5 Intermediate races this year he’s ran 98% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 2nd best Avg. Driver Rating (114.68), and the 4th best Avg. Finish (10.2)
– In the 5 races he’s led 18% of his laps, has gotten 5.64 Stage Pts Per Stage, and 2 Top 3’s; but also 0 Wins
– In the Spring race at Darlington Truex dominated leading 49% of the laps and running every lap of his in the Top 15, but a late wreck caused him to finish 31st
– In his 22 races at Darlington he’s picked up 2 Wins and 10 Top 10’s, but also has more finishes out of the Top 20 (5) than finishes in the Top 5 (4)
– He has a 13.23 Avg. Finish in the 22 races, has ran 77% of his laps in the Top 15, and has a 103.78 Avg. Driver Rating
– His stage stats at Darlington (31.82 Stage Win%, 81.82 Stage T10%, 6.41 Stage Pts Per Stage) all rank 1st in the Darlington ranks above
Outlook for this weekend
Truex has come on strong in the later half of the year en route to being the Regular Season Champion. His stats show why, and besides his one blemish at Darlington this year his Intermediate stats show why as well. Even his career stats at Darlington are pretty good, and based on all these good stats above I see Truex coming home with a solid 1st-7th place finish this weekend.
3rd in Points – Denny Hamlin (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.35 | 3rd of 35 | T81st of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.26% | 23rd of 35 | 324th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 80.77% | 1st of 35 | 36th of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 95.85 | 3rd of 35 | 104th of 771‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T5th of 62 | T72nd of 1344 |
| Poles | 4 | 1st of 62 | T13th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 5 | T2nd of 62 | T52nd of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 7 | T2nd of 62 | T47th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 9 | T2nd of 62 | T72nd of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 12 | T6th of 62 | T161st of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T6th of 35 | T181st of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 5 | T3rd of 62 | T16th of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 33 | 2nd of 62 | T22nd of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 210 | 2nd of 62 | 20th of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 15 | 5th of 62 | T27th of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 3 straight Top 3 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 12.4(9th), 87.94% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 102.44(4th), Best 1st, Worst 35th, Laps Completed 85.98%, Led 11.68% of laps he ran, 1 Win, 1 Pole, 2 Top 3’s, 2 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 2 Stage Wins, 3.73 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 12th, Started 8th, Led 9 laps (3.05%), got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 155 Laps in Top15 (52.54% of laps he ran), had 80.5 Driver Rating (ranked 14th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 22 Races
- 7.68 Avg. Finish (Ranks 1st)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 29th
- Completed 99.84% of laps (% ranks 5th)
- 88.86% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 1st)
- 106.85 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 1st)
- Led 10.51% of laps he’s run (% ranks 4th)
- 4 Wins, 18.18% (% ranks T1st)
- 8 Top 2’s, 36.36% (% ranks 1st)
- 16 Top 10’s, 72.73% (% ranks 1st)
- 19 Top 15’s, 86.36% (% ranks 1st)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 9.09% (% ranks T3rd)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 1 Stage Win, 4.55% (% ranks T6th)
- 18 Stage T10’s, 81.82% (% ranks T1st)
- 5.55 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 3rd)
Main Points & Outlook
– Denny Hamlin is notable because of his incredible Darlington stats in his 22 career Cup races here
– At Daytona Hamlin was penalized on a pit stop, then went a lap down and never recovered as he ended up 26th
– 10 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 3rd or better including his 12.35 Avg. Finish, 5 Top 2’s, 7 Top 3’s, 9 Top 5’s, and 210 Stage Pts
– Only 1 of his 15 2023 Ranks above is worse than T6th (96.26 Completed Laps%, 23rd)
– His 4 Poles, 5 Stage Wins, 33 Stage T10’s, and 210 Stage Pts all rank T22nd or better thru 26 races since 2004 (2017 for the stage stats)
– In 5 Intermediate races this year he has 1 Win, 1 Pole, and 2 Top 3’s; but only the 9th best Avg. Finish (12.4)
– In the 5 races he’s ran 88% of his laps in the Top 15, led 12% of his laps, has the 4th best Avg. Driver Rating (102.44) and has 2 Stage Wins
– At Darlington this Spring Hamlin got 0 Stage T10’s, ran only 52.54% of his laps in the Top 15, and finished 12th with the 14th best Driver Rating (80.5)
– This was only his 6th finish out of the Top 10 in his 22 career Cup Darlington starts
– In his 22 races here he has 4 Wins, 8 Top 2’s, 2 finishes out of the Top 20, and an incredible 7.68 Avg. Finish
– His 7.68 Avg. Finish, 88.86 Laps in Top15%, 106.85 Avg. Driver Rating, and 72.73 Top10% are a few of his Darlington stats that are best among active drivers
Outlook for this weekend
Hamlin’s 2023 stats above are pretty good when throwing out his Laps Completed%, but his Intermediate finishes have been either great or so-so. However, his overall Darlington stats are pretty great, but the Spring race was a bit of a dud by these standards. Taking this all in I believe Hamlin will have a good run this weekend, run most the day in the Top 10, and finish in the Top 10 too.
– Denny Hamlin is notable because of his incredible Darlington stats in his 22 career Cup races here
– At Daytona Hamlin was penalized on a pit stop, then went a lap down and never recovered as he ended up 26th
– 10 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 3rd or better including his 12.35 Avg. Finish, 5 Top 2’s, 7 Top 3’s, 9 Top 5’s, and 210 Stage Pts
– Only 1 of his 15 2023 Ranks above is worse than T6th (96.26 Completed Laps%, 23rd)
– His 4 Poles, 5 Stage Wins, 33 Stage T10’s, and 210 Stage Pts all rank T22nd or better thru 26 races since 2004 (2017 for the stage stats)
– In 5 Intermediate races this year he has 1 Win, 1 Pole, and 2 Top 3’s; but only the 9th best Avg. Finish (12.4)
– In the 5 races he’s ran 88% of his laps in the Top 15, led 12% of his laps, has the 4th best Avg. Driver Rating (102.44) and has 2 Stage Wins
– At Darlington this Spring Hamlin got 0 Stage T10’s, ran only 52.54% of his laps in the Top 15, and finished 12th with the 14th best Driver Rating (80.5)
– This was only his 6th finish out of the Top 10 in his 22 career Cup Darlington starts
– In his 22 races here he has 4 Wins, 8 Top 2’s, 2 finishes out of the Top 20, and an incredible 7.68 Avg. Finish
– His 7.68 Avg. Finish, 88.86 Laps in Top15%, 106.85 Avg. Driver Rating, and 72.73 Top10% are a few of his Darlington stats that are best among active drivers
Outlook for this weekend
Hamlin’s 2023 stats above are pretty good when throwing out his Laps Completed%, but his Intermediate finishes have been either great or so-so. However, his overall Darlington stats are pretty great, but the Spring race was a bit of a dud by these standards. Taking this all in I believe Hamlin will have a good run this weekend, run most the day in the Top 10, and finish in the Top 10 too.
4th in Points – Chris Buescher (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 12.23 | 2nd of 35 | 73rd of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.82% | 5th of 35 | 84th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 54.88% | 16th of 35 | 266th of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 83.0 | 9th of 35 | 258th of 771‡ |
| Wins | 3 | T2nd of 62 | T43rd of 1344 |
| Poles | 0 | T15th of 62 | T245th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 3 | T7th of 62 | T107th of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 4 | T7th of 62 | T134th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 6 | T9th of 62 | T165th of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 12 | T6th of 62 | T161st of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T2nd of 35 | T64th of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T13th of 62 | T81st of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 14 | T17th of 62 | T111th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 72 | 18th of 62 | 112th of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 16 | 4th of 62 | T23rd of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 Wins (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 2 finishes (tied longest streak in Cup Series this year)
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes (active streak, tied longest active streak in Cup Series)
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.8(14th), 39.82% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 69.34(18th), Best 8th, Worst 21st, Laps Completed 99.93%, Led 0.78% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, 2 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 1 Stage Win, 1.36 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 10th, Started 27th, Led 0 laps, got 0 Stage T10’s, ran 21 Laps in Top15 (7.12% of laps he ran), had 61.0 Driver Rating (ranked 22nd)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 12 Races
- 17.5 Avg. Finish (Ranks 18th)
- Best Finish: 9th, Worst: 32nd
- Completed 99.7% of laps (% ranks 6th)
- 32.32% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 20th)
- 64.18 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 22nd)
- Led 0.03% of laps he’s run (% ranks T24th)
- 0 Top 5’s
- 3 Top 10’s, 25.0% (% ranks T18th)
- 5 Top 15’s, 41.67% (% ranks 22nd)
- 4 finishes outside Top 20, 33.33% (% ranks T19th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 1 Stage T10, 4.55% (% ranks T24th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Chris Buescher is notable because he’s 4th in points heading into the playoffs
– Last week Buescher got caught up in the Big One just before the end of Stage 2, but that didn’t stop him from coming across the line 1st at the end of the race
– This was his 3rd Win in the last 5 Cup races and his 2nd straight Top 10
– Only 5 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 5th or better (12.23 Avg. Finish, 98.82 Completed Laps%, 3 Wins, 1 DNF, and 16 Playoff Pts)
– His stage stats (1 Stage Win, 14 Stage T10’s, 72 Stage Pts) all rank T13th or worse in the 2023 Ranks above
– In the 5 Intermediate races this year he has 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, and a 14.8 Avg. Finish
– In the 5 races he’s only ran 40% of his laps in the Top 15, led just 0.78% of his laps, and has the 18th best Avg. Driver Rating (69.34)
– At Darlington this Spring Buescher got 0 Stage T10’s, ran only 7% of his laps in the Top 15, and had the 22nd best Driver Rating (61.0) but found a way to finish 10th
– This was only his 3rd Top 10 at Darlington in his 12 career Cup races here
– In his 12 races he has more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than in the Top 10 (3), a measly 64.18 Avg. Driver Rating, and has a best finish of only 9th
– He’s only ran 32% of his laps in the Top 15 here and has just 1 Stage T10 in his 22 stages at Darlington
Outlook for this weekend
Buescher’s 2023 stats show that he’s finished well but hasn’t necessarily ran well this year. At Intermediate tracks this is true as well as his best finish is only 8th, and his career at Darlington is even worse as his best finish is 9th. All of this tells me Buescher’s hot streak ends this weekend as he finishes between 9th and 20th.
– Chris Buescher is notable because he’s 4th in points heading into the playoffs
– Last week Buescher got caught up in the Big One just before the end of Stage 2, but that didn’t stop him from coming across the line 1st at the end of the race
– This was his 3rd Win in the last 5 Cup races and his 2nd straight Top 10
– Only 5 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 5th or better (12.23 Avg. Finish, 98.82 Completed Laps%, 3 Wins, 1 DNF, and 16 Playoff Pts)
– His stage stats (1 Stage Win, 14 Stage T10’s, 72 Stage Pts) all rank T13th or worse in the 2023 Ranks above
– In the 5 Intermediate races this year he has 0 Top 5’s, 2 Top 10’s, and a 14.8 Avg. Finish
– In the 5 races he’s only ran 40% of his laps in the Top 15, led just 0.78% of his laps, and has the 18th best Avg. Driver Rating (69.34)
– At Darlington this Spring Buescher got 0 Stage T10’s, ran only 7% of his laps in the Top 15, and had the 22nd best Driver Rating (61.0) but found a way to finish 10th
– This was only his 3rd Top 10 at Darlington in his 12 career Cup races here
– In his 12 races he has more finishes out of the Top 20 (4) than in the Top 10 (3), a measly 64.18 Avg. Driver Rating, and has a best finish of only 9th
– He’s only ran 32% of his laps in the Top 15 here and has just 1 Stage T10 in his 22 stages at Darlington
Outlook for this weekend
Buescher’s 2023 stats show that he’s finished well but hasn’t necessarily ran well this year. At Intermediate tracks this is true as well as his best finish is only 8th, and his career at Darlington is even worse as his best finish is 9th. All of this tells me Buescher’s hot streak ends this weekend as he finishes between 9th and 20th.
6th in Points – Kyle Larson (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 16.04 | 14th of 35 | T262nd of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 95.4% | 26th of 35 | 380th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 67.99% | 8th of 35 | 167th of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 91.49 | 4th of 35 | 154th of 771‡ |
| Wins | 2 | T5th of 62 | T72nd of 1344 |
| Poles | 2 | T3rd of 62 | T47th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 4 | T5th of 62 | T77th of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 5 | 6th of 62 | T98th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 10 | 1st of 62 | T45th of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 12 | T6th of 62 | T161st of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 6 | T33rd of 35 | T710th of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 3 | T7th of 62 | T39th of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 30 | 5th of 62 | T38th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 173 | 5th of 62 | T43rd of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 13 | 6th of 62 | T35th of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 11.8(7th), 88.15% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 103.36(3rd), Best 2nd, Worst 30th, Laps Completed 98.5%, Led 11.79% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, 3 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 3.55 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 20th, Started 7th, Led 29 laps (9.83%), Finished 3rd in Stage 2, ran 247 Laps in Top15 (83.73% of laps he ran), had 93.2 Driver Rating (ranked 8th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 11 Races
- 10.18 Avg. Finish (Ranks 2nd)
- Best Finish: 2nd, Worst: 36th
- Completed 95.24% of laps (% ranks 24th)
- 82.89% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 3rd)
- 104.79 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 2nd)
- Led 19.63% of laps he’s run (% ranks 1st)
- 0 Wins
- 3 Top 2’s, 27.27% (% ranks 2nd)
- 5 Top 3’s, 45.45% (% ranks 1st)
- 7 Top 10’s, 63.64% (% ranks T2nd)
- 1 finish outside Top 20, 9.09% (% ranks T3rd)
- 1 DNF, 9.09% (% ranks T23rd)
- 3 Stage Wins, 18.7% (% ranks 2nd)
- 11 Stage T10’s, 68.75% (% ranks 3rd)
- 5.63 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 2nd)
Main Points & Outlook
– Kyle Larson is notable because of how he’s performed at Intermediate tracks in the 2023 season
– Larson had his typical luck at Daytona last week, getting caught up in the Big One and finishing 27th
– His longest Top 10 streak this year is only 4 races
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 6th or better including his 91.49 Avg. Driver Rating, 5 Top 3’s, 10 Top 5’s, 30 Stage T10’s, and 173 Stage Pts
– He only has 2 finishes in the Top 10 that haven’t also been in the Top 5, and his 6 DNF’s are tied for 2nd most this year
– At the 5 Intermediate races this year he’s ran 88% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating (103.36), and led 12% of his laps
– The 5 races have produced 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, and 1 DNF for him
– Larson ran well at Darlington this Spring running 84% of his laps in the Top 15 and being in contention late, but contact with Ross Chastain caused him to finish 20th
– In 11 races at Darlington he has 3 Top 2’s, 0 Wins, 5 Top 3’s, and a 10.18 Avg. Finish
– His only finish out of the Top 20 here at Darlington was a DNF
– He’s ran 83% of his laps here in the Top 15, led 20% of his laps, has a 104.79 Avg. Driver Rating, and has gotten 5.63 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Larson’s 2023 season has been full of up’s and downs. His finishes this year have been either really good or really bad and this is the case for his Intermediate races too. Thankfully for Larson he’s been really good most of the time here at Darlington which helps his outlook for this weekend. In the race on Sunday I expect Larson to run well and finish somewhere in the Top 10.
– Kyle Larson is notable because of how he’s performed at Intermediate tracks in the 2023 season
– Larson had his typical luck at Daytona last week, getting caught up in the Big One and finishing 27th
– His longest Top 10 streak this year is only 4 races
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 6th or better including his 91.49 Avg. Driver Rating, 5 Top 3’s, 10 Top 5’s, 30 Stage T10’s, and 173 Stage Pts
– He only has 2 finishes in the Top 10 that haven’t also been in the Top 5, and his 6 DNF’s are tied for 2nd most this year
– At the 5 Intermediate races this year he’s ran 88% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 3rd best Avg. Driver Rating (103.36), and led 12% of his laps
– The 5 races have produced 2 Top 3’s, 3 Top 5’s, and 1 DNF for him
– Larson ran well at Darlington this Spring running 84% of his laps in the Top 15 and being in contention late, but contact with Ross Chastain caused him to finish 20th
– In 11 races at Darlington he has 3 Top 2’s, 0 Wins, 5 Top 3’s, and a 10.18 Avg. Finish
– His only finish out of the Top 20 here at Darlington was a DNF
– He’s ran 83% of his laps here in the Top 15, led 20% of his laps, has a 104.79 Avg. Driver Rating, and has gotten 5.63 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Larson’s 2023 season has been full of up’s and downs. His finishes this year have been either really good or really bad and this is the case for his Intermediate races too. Thankfully for Larson he’s been really good most of the time here at Darlington which helps his outlook for this weekend. In the race on Sunday I expect Larson to run well and finish somewhere in the Top 10.
7th in Points – Christopher Bell (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 13.58 | 6th of 35 | 134th of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 96.37% | 21st of 35 | T315th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 68.55% | 6th of 35 | 159th of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 90.03 | 5th of 35 | 167th of 771‡ |
| Wins | 1 | T7th of 62 | T128th of 1344 |
| Poles | 2 | T3rd of 62 | T47th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T13th of 62 | T226th of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 4 | T7th of 62 | T134th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 6 | T9th of 62 | T165th of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 13 | T3rd of 62 | T124th of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 3 | T17th of 35 | T352nd of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 2 | T10th of 62 | T61st of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 32 | T3rd of 62 | T26th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 160 | 6th of 62 | 54th of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 7 | T11th of 62 | T59th of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 3 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 17.2(19th), 83.7% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 91.52(8th), Best 5th, Worst 36th, Laps Completed 92.82%, Led 3.79% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 3 Top 15’s, 2 Finishes out of Top 20, 1 DNF, 0 Stage Wins, 4.18 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 14th, Started 16th, Led 0 laps, Finished 10th in Stage 1 and 6th in Stage 2, ran 284 Laps in Top15 (96.27% of laps he ran), had 93.1 Driver Rating (ranked 9th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 8 Races
- 16.0 Avg. Finish (Ranks 15th)
- Best Finish: 5th, Worst: 34th
- Completed 99.19% of laps (% ranks 13th)
- 61.75% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 13th)
- 81.34 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 14th)
- Led 0.65% of laps he’s run (% ranks 15th)
- 0 Top 3’s
- 1 Top 5, 12.5% (% ranks T16th)
- 2 Top 10’s, 25.0% (% ranks T18th)
- 5 Top 15’s, 62.5% (% ranks T13th)
- 2 finishes outside Top 20, 25.0% (% ranks T13th)
- 0 DNF’s, 0.00% (% ranks T1st)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 2.75 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 9th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Christopher Bell is notable because of his 2023 season stats
– Last week Bell pushed his teammate Ty Gibbs right out of the playoffs and right into Ryan Blaney, however in the end Bell ended up P16
– 7 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 6th or better including his 13.58 Avg. Finish, 68.55 Laps in Top 15%, 13 Top 10’s, and 32 Stage T10’s
– He has more DNF’s this year (3) than Stage Wins (2)
– 5 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T10th or worse including his 1 Top 2, 3 DNF’s, and 7 Playoff Pts
– In the 5 Intermediate races this year he has only 2 Top 10’s and 3 Top 15’s leading to a 17.2 Avg. Finish
– In the 5 races he’s ran 84% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 8th best Avg. Driver Rating (91.52), and has 4.18 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Darlington this Spring Bell led 0 laps and finished 14th, but did run 96% of his laps in the Top 15 and had the 9th best Driver Rating (93.1)
– This was his 5th Top 15 in 8 Darlington starts, but he also has the same amount of Top 10’s as finishes out of the Top 20 (2)
– In his 8 Darlington starts he has an 81.34 Avg. Driver Rating, ran 62% of his laps in the Top 15, and 2.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Bell’s 2023 stats above show that he’s been decent this year, but has been good at finishing in the Top 10 of the race and in stages. The same can be said about stages at Intermediates this year, but his good runs haven’t amounted to good finishes. Darlington has also not been too kind to Bell in his Cup career and based on all this I think Bell runs decent and ends up finishing between 7th and 15th.
– Christopher Bell is notable because of his 2023 season stats
– Last week Bell pushed his teammate Ty Gibbs right out of the playoffs and right into Ryan Blaney, however in the end Bell ended up P16
– 7 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are 6th or better including his 13.58 Avg. Finish, 68.55 Laps in Top 15%, 13 Top 10’s, and 32 Stage T10’s
– He has more DNF’s this year (3) than Stage Wins (2)
– 5 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T10th or worse including his 1 Top 2, 3 DNF’s, and 7 Playoff Pts
– In the 5 Intermediate races this year he has only 2 Top 10’s and 3 Top 15’s leading to a 17.2 Avg. Finish
– In the 5 races he’s ran 84% of his laps in the Top 15, has the 8th best Avg. Driver Rating (91.52), and has 4.18 Stage Pts Per Stage
– At Darlington this Spring Bell led 0 laps and finished 14th, but did run 96% of his laps in the Top 15 and had the 9th best Driver Rating (93.1)
– This was his 5th Top 15 in 8 Darlington starts, but he also has the same amount of Top 10’s as finishes out of the Top 20 (2)
– In his 8 Darlington starts he has an 81.34 Avg. Driver Rating, ran 62% of his laps in the Top 15, and 2.75 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Bell’s 2023 stats above show that he’s been decent this year, but has been good at finishing in the Top 10 of the race and in stages. The same can be said about stages at Intermediates this year, but his good runs haven’t amounted to good finishes. Darlington has also not been too kind to Bell in his Cup career and based on all this I think Bell runs decent and ends up finishing between 7th and 15th.
9th in Points – Brad Keselowski (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 13.85 | 8th of 35 | T142nd of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 99.68% | 2nd of 35 | T21st of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 62.96% | 10th of 35 | 202nd of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 79.0 | 15th of 35 | 304th of 771‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T15th of 62 | T253rd of 1344 |
| Poles | 0 | T15th of 62 | T245th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 2 | T10th of 62 | T151st of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 2 | T13th of 62 | T225th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 6 | T9th of 62 | T165th of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 11 | T11th of 62 | T200th of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 2 | T6th of 35 | T181st of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 4 | T5th of 62 | T29th of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 24 | T7th of 62 | T68th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 133 | T8th of 62 | T65th of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 4 | 15th of 62 | T92nd of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 14.0(11th), 62.62% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 80.9(14th), Best 4th, Worst 19th, Laps Completed 100%, Led 0.46% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Pole, 0 Top 3’s, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 15’s, 0 Finishes out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.27 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 4th, Started 10th, Led 0 laps, Finished 6th in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2, ran 295 Laps in Top15 (100% of laps he ran), had 105.4 Driver Rating (ranked 5th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 19 Races
- 11.68 Avg. Finish (Ranks 3rd)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 34th
- Completed 97.86% of laps (% ranks 19th)
- 66.06% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 12th)
- 91.56 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 9th)
- Led 6.18% of laps he’s run (% ranks 7th)
- 1 Win, 5.26% (% ranks T7th)
- 3 Top 3’s, 15.79% (% ranks T9th)
- 6 Top 5’s, 31.58% (% ranks T6th)
- 15 Top 15’s, 78.95% (% ranks 3rd)
- 3 finishes outside Top 20, 15.79% (% ranks 6th)
- 1 DNF, 5.26% (% ranks T18th)
- 1 Stage Win, 4.55% (% ranks T6th)
- 2.68 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 10th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Brad Keselowski is notable because of how he ran at Darlington this Spring
– Keselowski had an interesting Daytona, doing “boring donuts” during a red flag and then pushing Chris Buescher to a win as BK finished 2nd
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T10th or better including his 13.85 Avg. Finish, 6 Top 5’s, and 133 Stage Pts
– All of his stage stats (4 Stage Wins, 24 Stage T10’s, 133 Stage Pts) are T8th or better in the 2023 Ranks above
– His worst rank in the 2023 Ranks above is (T)15th (79.0 Avg. Driver Rating, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 4 Playoff Pts)
– His longest Top 10 streak this year is only 2 races
– In 5 Intermediate races this year he has a 14.0 Avg. Finish with 1 Top 5 and only 2 Top 15’s
– He has 0 finishes out of the Top 20 in the 5 races, ran in the Top 15 for 63% of his laps, and has an 80.9 Avg. Driver Rating
– At Darlington this Spring Keselowski ran every lap in the Top 15, had the 5th best Driver Rating (105.4), and finished 4th
– In 19 Darlington Cup starts he has 1 Win, 6 Top 5’s, and 15 Top 15’s with only 3 finishes out of the Top 20
– In the 19 races he’s ran 66% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 91.56 Avg. Driver Rating, and only 1 DNF
Outlook for this weekend
Keselowski has probably had the best 2023 season of any driver without a win heading into the playoffs. When looking at his Intermediate stats he hasn’t been terrible, but also hasn’t been good. Thankfully for him this weekend is Darlington where he got his best Intermediate finish of the year to this point. In all I expect Keselowski to finish between 5th and 15th this weekend.
– Brad Keselowski is notable because of how he ran at Darlington this Spring
– Keselowski had an interesting Daytona, doing “boring donuts” during a red flag and then pushing Chris Buescher to a win as BK finished 2nd
– 9 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T10th or better including his 13.85 Avg. Finish, 6 Top 5’s, and 133 Stage Pts
– All of his stage stats (4 Stage Wins, 24 Stage T10’s, 133 Stage Pts) are T8th or better in the 2023 Ranks above
– His worst rank in the 2023 Ranks above is (T)15th (79.0 Avg. Driver Rating, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 4 Playoff Pts)
– His longest Top 10 streak this year is only 2 races
– In 5 Intermediate races this year he has a 14.0 Avg. Finish with 1 Top 5 and only 2 Top 15’s
– He has 0 finishes out of the Top 20 in the 5 races, ran in the Top 15 for 63% of his laps, and has an 80.9 Avg. Driver Rating
– At Darlington this Spring Keselowski ran every lap in the Top 15, had the 5th best Driver Rating (105.4), and finished 4th
– In 19 Darlington Cup starts he has 1 Win, 6 Top 5’s, and 15 Top 15’s with only 3 finishes out of the Top 20
– In the 19 races he’s ran 66% of his laps in the Top 15, has a 91.56 Avg. Driver Rating, and only 1 DNF
Outlook for this weekend
Keselowski has probably had the best 2023 season of any driver without a win heading into the playoffs. When looking at his Intermediate stats he hasn’t been terrible, but also hasn’t been good. Thankfully for him this weekend is Darlington where he got his best Intermediate finish of the year to this point. In all I expect Keselowski to finish between 5th and 15th this weekend.
15th in Points – Kevin Harvick (P & OP)
| Category | Statistic | 2023 Rank | ªRank Thru 26 Races |
| Avg. Fin.¹ | 13.77 | 7th of 35 | 140th of 813 |
| Completed Laps%¹ | 98.77% | 6th of 35 | 87th of 813 |
| Laps in Top15%¹ | 69.98% | 4th of 35 | 141st of 771‡ |
| Avg. Driver Rating¹ | 81.62 | 12th of 35 | 271st of 771‡ |
| Wins | 0 | T15th of 62 | T253rd of 1344 |
| Poles | 0 | T15th of 62 | T245th of 1344 |
| Top 2’s | 1 | T13th of 62 | T226th of 1344 |
| Top 3’s | 1 | T16th of 62 | T300th of 1344 |
| Top 5’s | 6 | T9th of 62 | T165th of 1344 |
| Top 10’s | 12 | T6th of 62 | T161st of 1344 |
| DNF’s¹ | 1 | T2nd of 35 | T64th of 813 |
| Stage Wins | 1 | T13th of 62 | T81st of 428* |
| Stage T10s | 24 | T7th of 62 | T68th of 428* |
| Stage Pts | 120 | 11th of 62 | T75th of 428* |
| Playoff Pts² | 1 | T16th of 62 | T105th of 428* |
ªSince Playoffs started in 2004
¹Ranks of drivers to start 40% of races thru 26 races
²Earned from races only, does not reflect penalties
*Stage racing started in 2017
‡Loop Data started in 2005, max Driver Rating is 150.0
- Notable Streaks this year
- 2 straight Top 5 finishes
- 4 straight Top 10 finishes
- 2023 Intermediate Stats (Avg. Fin. and Driver Rating rank among drivers with 1+ Intermediate start, 42 drivers)
- 5 Races, Avg. Finish 11.4(6th), 73.11% of Laps ran in Top15, Avg. Driver Rating 86.28(11th), Best 2nd, Worst 24th, Laps Completed 99.93%, Led 1.57% of laps he ran, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 1 Top 3, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10’s, 4 Top 15’s, 1 Finish out of Top 20, 0 DNF’s, 0 Stage Wins, 2.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
- Darlington Statistics
- 2023 Spring Darlington race
- Finished 2nd, Started 20th, Led 5 laps (1.69%), Finished 8th in Stage 1 and 7th in Stage 2, ran 253 Laps in Top15 (85.76% of laps he ran), had 99.2 Driver Rating (ranked 6th)
- Notable Darlington Statistics (Ranks are of drivers with 1+ start this year and 1+ start at Darlington, 44 drivers)
- 31 Races
- 12.42 Avg. Finish (Ranks 5th)
- Best Finish: 1st, Worst: 40th
- Completed 96.15% of laps (% ranks T22nd)
- 81.2% of Laps ran in Top15 (% ranks 5th)
- 101.53 Average Driver Rating (Ranks 4th)
- Led 7.99% of laps he’s run (% ranks 5th)
- 3 Wins, 9.68% (% ranks 5th)
- 2 Poles, 6.45% (% ranks 3rd)
- 8 Top 3’s, 25.81% (% ranks 4th)
- 14 Top 5’s, 45.16% (% ranks 4th)
- 19 Top 10’s, 61.29% (% ranks 4th)
- 6 finishes outside Top 20, 19.35% (% ranks 7th)
- 2 DNF’s, 6.45% (% ranks 20th)
- 0 Stage Wins
- 15 Stage T10’s, 68.18% (% ranks T4th)
- 3.45 Stage Pts Per Stage (Ranks 6th)
Main Points & Outlook
– Kevin Harvick is notable because of his career Cup stats at Darlington
– Harvick was able to avoid the carnage at Daytona for the most part and be up front late before being shuffled back to finish 9th
– All 15 of his 2023 Ranks above are T16th or better
– 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T7th or better including his 13.77 Avg. Finish, 69.98 Completed Laps%, and 24 Stage T10’s
– He only has 1 Top 3 finish this year
– His only Top 3 finish this year came at an Intermediate track as in these 5 races he has 1 Top 3, 2 Top 10’s, and an 11.4 Avg. Finish
– In the 5 races he has the 11th best Avg. Driver Rating (86.28) and has accumulated just 2.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Earlier this year in the Darlington Spring race Harvick ran 86% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 6th best Driver Rating (99.2), and finished 2nd
– This was his 8th Top 3 in 31 races here at Darlington
– In his 31 races here he has 3 Wins, 14 Top 5’s, and only 6 finishes out of the Top 20 with just 2 DNF’s
– At Darlington in his career he’s ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15, led 8% of his laps, has a 101.53 Avg. Driver Rating, and 3.45 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Harvick’s farewell season hasn’t been what he wants, but he’s in the playoffs so that is still good. Even better is that he’s ran decent at Intermediates this year and has finished pretty good, including a 2nd place at Darlington this year. However, the best news is that Darlington has been good to him in his career and I believe will be again this weekend as he finishes between 3rd and 9th.
– Kevin Harvick is notable because of his career Cup stats at Darlington
– Harvick was able to avoid the carnage at Daytona for the most part and be up front late before being shuffled back to finish 9th
– All 15 of his 2023 Ranks above are T16th or better
– 6 of his 15 2023 Ranks above are T7th or better including his 13.77 Avg. Finish, 69.98 Completed Laps%, and 24 Stage T10’s
– He only has 1 Top 3 finish this year
– His only Top 3 finish this year came at an Intermediate track as in these 5 races he has 1 Top 3, 2 Top 10’s, and an 11.4 Avg. Finish
– In the 5 races he has the 11th best Avg. Driver Rating (86.28) and has accumulated just 2.0 Stage Pts Per Stage
– Earlier this year in the Darlington Spring race Harvick ran 86% of his laps in the Top 15, had the 6th best Driver Rating (99.2), and finished 2nd
– This was his 8th Top 3 in 31 races here at Darlington
– In his 31 races here he has 3 Wins, 14 Top 5’s, and only 6 finishes out of the Top 20 with just 2 DNF’s
– At Darlington in his career he’s ran 81% of his laps in the Top 15, led 8% of his laps, has a 101.53 Avg. Driver Rating, and 3.45 Stage Pts Per Stage
Outlook for this weekend
Harvick’s farewell season hasn’t been what he wants, but he’s in the playoffs so that is still good. Even better is that he’s ran decent at Intermediates this year and has finished pretty good, including a 2nd place at Darlington this year. However, the best news is that Darlington has been good to him in his career and I believe will be again this weekend as he finishes between 3rd and 9th.
